Buying and selling apps - Poshmark & Mercari

By now, most of you are probably familiar with selling your gently used goods on your phone through apps. These apps help you earn extra cash by selling and promoting your used (and new) goods to customers all over the country.

There are tons of apps like these out there, but the most popular ones are by far Poshmark, and now the new Mercari app. Since my wardrobe changes so frequently, I LOVE buying and selling on these apps and they are my go-to when I’m looking to buy certain things, or get rid of something fast. After using these apps to buy and sell, I’m going to weigh the pros and cons of both apps for you ladies!

Poshmark

The pros: The app is catered more toward women, but I'm seeing more men pop up on there primarily to buy and sell women’s fashion. You can negotiate prices by making an offer/counter offer, and items are protected by Poshmark’s guarantee: Get the item you ordered in its described condition, or get your money back.

It's very simple and easy to use, and tried and tested as one of the first apps of its kind. You can recieve invites to attend Poshmark parties and events in your area. When you search for an item on the app to purchase, it automatically filters the search to only show items in your size.

I’ve earned tons of extra cash selling my gently used clothing on this app. Poshmark sends you a shipping label when you sell an item. Poshmark hosts in-app parties to help you sell items, and they offer incentives to help you sell such as discounted shipping, notifications for likes, comments, and more. Earn $5 when you first sign up using code: JBJTE

The cons: When selling, Poshmark takes a HEFTY commission, up to 20 percent. This is huge. And when buying, shipping costs of $6.99 are added to your purchase

Mercari

The pros: Mercari just began taking commission from sales, yet it's only 10 percent. You can buy and sell anything from electronics to clothing. I also find their prices more reasonable on certain items. You can choose to pay for shipping or charge the customer for it. Purchases are protected by Mercari’s guarantee: Receive the item in its described condition or get your money back.

Mercari also sends you a shipping label when you sell an item.

Overall, it's very easy to use. I personally have sold a lot more with Mercari than Poshmark, but I have more of an array of items then just apparel and accessories. Referral promotion: Give $2 get $2 when you sign up using code: RUQFCA. So not only do you save, but so does anyone you refer.

The cons: You can’t negotiate prices unless you do it through the comments section and ask the seller to lower the price. I only list this as a detraction because people sometimes get offended by your offer. In contrast, Poshmark allow you to either not accept an offer or counter it.

However, Mercari just launched a private chat for each seller so others can't see your offer or comments. That in essence turns the detraction into a BIG PLUS!

Mercari can be a little confusing and a bit cluttered to use at first. It caters to a very broad market, meaning there are people selling all kinds of things on the app and makes it hard to find what you are looking for. But by using the search function, you can narrow down what your looking for.

To wrap it up, I feel Mercari has a lot of potential and is a perfect fit for both men and women to sell things other than clothing. If you are selling high-end clothes, shoes, handbags, or accessories, Poshmark is definitely the way to go, despite their excessive commission. Both apps make it very easy to sell an item. I currently have both apps installed in my phone.

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